Boys who were disruptive but had low levels of callous-unemotional traits showed some differences too, but not as pronounced as the group with high levels of callous-unemotional traits. Getty Images.
Each one was between the ages of 11 and While 62 showed psychopathic traits such as callousness on a range from low to high and disruptive behaviors, 30 others behaved normally and acted as controls.
All the boys were from the same ethnicity and socioeconomic background. Each boy listened to laughter while their brain was hooked up to an fMRI machine.
Professor Viding cautioned against labeling children as psychopaths. This is still considered an adult personality disorder. Long-terms studies however, show that certain children do run a higher risk for developing psychopathy later on. Children may show certain traits but only adults can develop the full-on condition. Credit: Getty Images. In children who are psychopathic, this region may be smaller or less active than in other children. This may be why they are relatively fearless and less socially responsive.
The amygdala also sends and receives information from other brain regions that may also be affected in psychopathy. These include parts of the cortex, or surface, of the brain, as well as other brain systems that regulate emotion and decision-making. Research continues to explore these differences with the aim of developing treatments that can improve behavior and quality of life. Some children are born at higher risk for psychopathy—but what parents do still matters. Some children are born at higher risk for psychopathy due to genetic variables that affect brain development.
But parents still play an important role. Learning to use specific therapeutic techniques with high-risk children can reduce their chances of developing psychopathy.
Similarly, research on psychopathy has made clear it is also not caused by specific parenting practices. Most families in which a child has psychopathy also have other children without psychopathy. Although scientific research shows that warm and responsive parenting can reduce the risk of psychopathy, many children and adults with psychopathy have parents who are warm and responsive. Warm parenting behaviors include smiling, speaking in a warm tone of voice, and using positive touch for example, a gentle touch on the arm, a hug, or a high-five.
Responsive parenting behaviors include, for example, expressing concern through your face and voice, asking questions, or offering a hug if your child is upset. Some research suggests that children with psychopathy are less sensitive than other children to positive social and emotional cues.
The Psychopathic Personality Inventory was designed to show trait dispositions and thus indicate psychopathic dispositions as well. The items revolve around the following eight factors:.
It is these characteristics that make people wonder if the psychopath can cry, love, or experience any feelings at all. If these traits are seen early, it could indicate the development of a psychopathic personality.
It's unclear exactly how the personality of a psychopath develops but it is known that some circumstance in childhood can increase the likelihood of psychopathology but also some brain and genetic abnormalities also play a part. It is possible that the following are environmental factors that may put a child at risk for developing a psychopathic personality:. Of course, few children who experience these factors will develop into psychopaths as other neurocognitive factors must also be present.
It is likely, though, that if a child experiences these risk factors and shows psychopathic tendencies as a child, there is a good chance they will grow up into an adult psychopath if intervention is not sought. As we seek to better understand how these features develop and how people with these features see the world around them, we can better tailor interventions to suit individual needs.
It is clear that intervening early in children with callous-unemotional traits could prevent psychopathy in adulthood, with all the psychological and social consequences. Skip to content You currently have JavaScript disabled in your web browser, please enable JavaScript to view our website as intended. Blog Blog posts and articles from the Royal Society Browse by category. Why do some people become psychopaths? By Annabel Sturgess 09 October 3 min read. Share Twitter Facebook LinkedId. Browse by category.
0コメント